Cancelling – both the modern use of the term & the act it describes – has pushed our median intelligence level down with terrifying speed. It’s a phenomenon that only exists because of the social networking sites where it serves to ramp up engagement & accelerate division. (1/8) Keeping us arguing among ourselves indefinitely, while making those social networking sites more attractive to advertisers and anyone else who may benefit from the chaos they inflame. (2/8)

It’s easy to forget just how much of a lifeline Tim Burgess’s Twitter Listening Parties were at the height of lockdown. (1/15)

https://twitter.com/Tim_Burgess/status/1697362615389859853

What an absolute treat it was to have a favourite musician take you by the hand and walk you through every single song on one of their classic albums… (2/15)

You’ll notice that Olivia Newton-John’s passing has saddened songwriters as much as it has other singers. I think that’s because songwriters will have an especially acute appreciation of how much a singer like Olivia could elevate a good song into a truly great one. [thread] The chemistry between her and fellow Melbourne emigré John Farrar blitzed both their expectations. Grease director Randall Kreiser hated John’s demo for You’re The One That I Want, but in the UK it went on to become the 5th best-selling single of all time.

Do you know what old people often find stressful and upsetting? It’s car parks where you can only pay by using an app or a credit card. Quite a lot of old people don’t carry the latter (yes, really) and they have no idea what an app is. (1/9) Just over a month ago, my dad called me in a bit of a panic because he’d driven to the Greek Cathedral in Birmingham for a friend’s memorial service. (2/9)

This has been sitting on my desktop awhile now. There somehow never seems like a good time to post it. But perhaps this is as good as any. (1/30) Our daughters are 18 and 16 now, but when they were little, they'd sometimes find it difficult to fall asleep, & the act of willing themselves to nod off would postpone the moment. Then they’d start to fret about being sleepy at school the next day & so it would go on. (2/30)

I got back from Glastonbury late last night. I’ve been to every Festival since 1992 when I got some work there as a steward, checking wristbands on the gates. (1/17) Back then I was 23 and I didn’t notice the invisible stuff that, even though it’s not glamorous, is actually the difference between an enjoyable festival and one that leaves you feeling a little short-changed. (2/17)

I met Chas a few times and I’m not sure I can adequately convey just how lovely he was. (1/14) But it wasn’t just his openness and friendliness. He was so comfortable inside his own skin. That’s what made the biggest impression. He totally had a sense of who he was & seemed delighted & a little bit amused by the way his life had turned out. (2/14)

Just over 10 years ago, I interviewed @PaulMcCartney and we got to talking about how the best songs stay alive and, as with all living, breathing things, assume new resonances and textures as the years go by. (1/9) @PaulMcCartney So many of Paul’s songs seem to do this, even ones that seem relatively lightweight at the time. Penny Lane. All My Loving. With A Little Luck. Mamunia. Even We All Stand Together can leave me misty-eyed on some days. (2/9)

It seems a little dispiriting that 400,000 have signed the petition for TFL to renege on their decision not to renew Uber's license. (1/13) It's not like this is going to be the end of Uber in London. They'll do whatever they need to do to get their license back. (2/13)